Traction engine



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet l.

A. C.V AMES.

TRAGTIUN ENGINE.

Patented June 23,1885.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2. A. C. AMES.

TRAGTION ENGINE.

2 ,PatlepjedJurie 23,1885.

N. PETEHS. Pbow-Lilhnlnphsr, wnhinllun, D. C.

(No Model.) 4 sheets-sheet 3.

, A. C. AMES.

TRAGTION ENGINE.

Patented June 23,1885.

JZ 07"/6 m5.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets- Sheet 4. A. C. AMES.

TRAGTION ENGINE.

N0 3201743: Patented June 23,1885.

JNTTED STATES PATENT Ormes.

ALBERT C. AMES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TRACTlON-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 320,743, dated June 23, 1885.

Application filed July 7, 1884. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, ALBERT C. AMES, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvement-s in Traction-Engines, of whichV the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to certain improvements in traction-engines.

The object of the invention is lo improve the general construction and arrangement of the different parts of such machines, and has particular reference to the improvements made in the driving mechanism, in the mechanism employed in connection with the drivewheels while turning corners, in the mechanism employed in ascending inclines, and in various minor details, all as will be fully described and claimed.

Reference will be made to the accompanylng drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine with the front part thereof broken away; Fig. 2, a top plan View of the same; Fig. 3, a plan forming a continuation of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a side elevation of part of the machine, showing the engines; Fig. 5, a section on line 1 1 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6, a section on line 2 2 of Fig. 2; Fig. 7, an end view of a sprocket-wheel and clutch mounted upon each traction-wheel hub, and Figs. 8, 9, and 10 details of the traction-gear.

.Like letters refer to like partsin each view.

A represents the body of the machine; B, the boiler, mounted upon the same at a point near the front end thereof 5 C, the front axle, connected with body A by any suitable fifthwheel, and D, the front wheels.

To change the direction of the machine the following mechanism is employed, to wit:

At suitable points near each end of the axle C there is secured a chain, E, which at their opposite ends are attached to oppositelygrooved worms, F, mounted one atleach end of a shaft, G.

Keyed to one end of shaft G is a gear, H, which meshes with and is revolved byaworm, I, mounted upon the lower end of a vertical shaft, J, to the upper end of which is secured a hand-wheel, K, this hand-wheel being within easy reach of the operator. By this arrangement it will be seen that by turning the hand-wheel, through the medium of the intermediate gearing described, one chain will be wound upon its worm, while the other will be released, and the position of the axle C thereby changed, and the machine diverted from its course.

L L represent the engines, which are suitably connected with the boiler, and serve to operate the main shafts M M.

Mounted upon each shaft M is a governor, N, provided, preferably, with pivoted levers O and adjustable weights I), as shown in Fig. l, fully described in an application filed by me on the 24th day of June, 1884, Serial No. 135,849.

To shift the disks Q, which, as described in that application, are mounted upon the main shaft and connected by cables R to weights I), the arrangement of levers shown in Fig. 2 is employed.

As the means for connecting the cables R to the weights P is fully `shown, described, and claimed in the application above referred to, (No. 135,849,) I have not deemed it necessary to fully illustrate it here, as by reference to said application it will be fully understood.

The connection with the disks farthest from the point where the operator stands is, as shown, formcd'through the medium of a belleranlgS, which is joined to an arm, T, which in turn is connected with an arm, U, to be operated by the one in charge. At the points where these arms join there is a branch arm, V, upon the opposite end of which there is formed a segmental gear, which meshes with a similar gear formed upon one end of an arm, W", connected with the disk of the remaining shaft, whereby upon the movement of arm U the Adisks will be operated simultaneously.

Io each end of each main shaft M there is connected by a knuckle-joint, as shown in Fig. 2, a short shaft, X, each carrying upon its outer end a friction-wheel, Y, adapted to impart motion to large friction fly-wheels Z from both sides, and each of said shafts X is mounted in an upright, A.

There are two uprights, A', for each engine, one upon each side thereof, and they are held-in an upright position each by a spring, a, secured to body A, Fig. 4, and said uprights are joined together in pairs by crossbeams B', hinged to their upper ends.

At its lower end each upright is pivotally connected with a sliding block, b, mounted in suitable slots in body A.

Sliding blocks b on the same side of the machine are connected by arms c with a long arm, d, which at its opposite end is secured to a lever, e, having bearing in a block,f, adapted to slide in a slot in body A.

Mounted upon each block f is a notched segmental plate, f/,with which apawl, 7L, mounted upon lever e, is adapted to engage.

It will be understood that the mechanism last above described is in duplicate, theruprights A upon each side of the machine being thus connected'in pairs to a lever, e, and by this arrangement and by the operation of levers e it will be understood that the uprights A' may be shifted, and the friction-wheels mounted thereon be caused to bear with greater or less force upon the friction flywheels Z, or to clear such wheels entirely, if desired.

The levers e were above described as being mounted in sliding blocks f, the object of which will now be referred to.

In turning short or abrupt corners it is desirous that the strain be removed from one drive-wheel without adding too much to the other, and this result I accomplish in the following manner, to wit:

Secured to the front end of each block f is'a rod, lc, each of which is at its front end secured to a cross-bar, Z, and provided with a collar orloop, m, (shownin Fig. 3,) and in each of which is mounted a roller, n.

Collars m are passed over the curved ends of a cross-bar, C', secured to the front end of the body A,and adapted to oscillate therewith, the rollers n being adapted to ride upon the ends of said-cross-bar.

If, with the parts constructed and arranged as described, the machine is turned, the parts will assume the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 3. As therein shown, one end ofthe crossbar is carried rearwardly, and the roller mounted thereon forced toward its outer end, whereby the rod 7c, upon which said roller is mounted, is forced back, and with it the sliding block f, to which it is connected. As this block f is forced back, the arms connecting it with the uprights A' upon that side of the machine are operated to turn said uprights,

thereby carrying the friction-wheels Y from cont-act with the larger wheel Z. At the same time the mechanism upon the opposite side of the machine is operated in the opposite manner, and the friction-wheels on that side brought into closer contact; but because of the shape of the arms or ends of cross-bar C', the added strain is not equal t that removed from the opposite set of friction-wheels.

D' D' represent the spindles upon which the friction drive-wheels Z and the traction-wheels E'are mounted.

Mounted upon thc hub of each wheel Z, so

as to revolve therewith, but capable of being slid thereon, is a disk, F', grooved on its peri phery to receive the forked ends of a lever, G', by which it is operated. Suitable openings are formed in the face of these disks, into which corresponding projections, o, Figs. 2 and 7, of a clutch, H', are adapted to enter, said clutch being formed upon the hub of each By this arrangement of parts it will be seen that at the will of the operator the drive-wheels Z may be thrown into o: out of gear with the traction-wheels.

In ascending inclines it becomes necessary or desirable to apply more power, and at the same time to slacken the speed of the machine, in order to utilize the full power of the engines, and this result I accomplish in the following manner: Upon the hub of each drive-wheel Z, I form a clutch, I', similar to the one H', before referred to, and loosely mounted upon said hub is a sprocket-wheel, J', around which a chain, K', is passed, (see Fig. 2,) said chain also being passed around a larger sprocket, L', mounted upon a shaft, M', situated near the rear end of the machine. (See Figs. l and 2.) Keyed to shaft M' is a sprocket, N', of smaller diameter than the one L', and around which a chain, O', is passed. Chain O is also passed around a sprocket, P', (see Fig. 1,) mounted loosely upon the hub of each traction-wheel E', and which is larger than sprocket N'. In one face of sprocket P' are formed suitable openings, into which are adapted to enter corresponding projections formed upon the outer face of the clutch H', referred to as formed upon thehuhs of wheels E. Attached to sprocket J' is a lever, Q', by which it is thrown into gear with clutch I' and revolved from the wheels Z. In its revolution it imparts motion to the sprockets upon shaft M', and through them to the sprocket mounted upon the hub of the tractionwheel- The disks for driving these traction-wheels direct from the drive-wheels are thrown out of gear and the sprocket thrown into gear with the clutch of said traction-wheels by means of lever It', whereby motionis imparted thereto indirectly from the drive-wheels through the intermediate sprocket-gearing described, and the machine propelled at a slower speed, but with greater power.

If it is desired to draw a load with the machine at a standstill, both sprocket P and the disk F' are thrown out of gear with the clutch of the traction-wheel, and a drum, S', which is loosely mounted upon shaft M', is thrown into gear with a clutch, T', formed thereon. To drum S there is secured a cable, U', the opposite end of which is secured to the object to be moved. The drive wheels being then started, and lthe sprocket-wheel J being in gear with the clutch I', motion is imparted thereto, and through the medium of chain K' to shaft M' and drum S', the cable U' being thus wound upon said drum, and the load drawn forward. At or about the center of each cross-beam B', described as connecting up IOO IIO

rights A' iu pairs, thereis pivoted a lever, V', said levers adapted to be operated by arms W', Fig. 4. To each end of each lever V' is attached a rod, X', each of which, at its lower end,is secured to one arm of a bell-crank, Y', at the apex of each of which is mounted a friction roller, Z. Bell-eranks Y"are so situated with respect to friction-rollers Y and Z' that, when desired, they may be shifted to a position between the two, thereby reversing the machine.

In Fig. 1 I have shown a roller, A, which is made adjustable, and is adapted to use as a tightener for a cable, O2, which connects the governors referred to.

The 'spindles upon which the drive and traction Wheels are mounted are supported between angle-irons D2, supported upon themaehine-body by braces E2, Fig. 4. As shown in that figure, spiral springs F2 connect the body A with cross-pieces G2, to give the body a springy motion.

The traction-gear employed, which I prefer to employ and have shown in detail in Figs. 8, 9, and l0, consists of an endless chain, H2, adapted to fit upon the tire of the tractionwheels. The links of this chain are provided upon each side with lugs p,- which overlap the edges of the tire aud hold the chainin position. Upon the hooks of the links there are formed projections @which rest upon the tire and prevent t-he binding of the hooks.

I make no claim in this application to the particular traction gear used, nor to the knuckle-joint connecting the main shafts with the shafts X, but reserve the right to claim these features in separate applications.

l. The combination, with main shafts M and suitable mechanism for driving the same, of

. shafts X, connected by knucklejoints to the main shafts, friction wheels Y, friction ily wheels Z, and traction-wheels E', as and for the purpose set forth.

2. 'Ihe combination, with mainshafts M and suitable mechanism for driving the same, of shafts X, connected by knuckle-joints to the main shafts and mounted in uprights A', fric-4 tion-wheels Y, mounted upon said shafts X, ily-wheels Z, and traction-wheels E', as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with main shafts M and suitable mechanism for driving the same, of shafts X, connected by knucklejoints with the main shafts and mounted in uprights A', friction-wheels Y, mounted on said shafts X, fly-wheels Z, tractionwheels E', and suitable mechanism for adjusting uprights A', as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, with uprights A', mounted in sliding blocks b, of arms c, rod d, connected therewith, lever e, and suitable mechanism for holding said lever in agiven position, as set forth.

5. The combination, with uprights A', mounted in sliding blocks b, of springs a, arms c, rod d, lever e, and suitable mechanism for holding said lever in a given position, as set forth.

6. The uprights A', mounted in sliding ALBERT C. AMES.

Y Witnesses:

T. F. CHAMBERS, M. J. CLAGETT. 

